Video on Page 8

Oh good

So anyways, since tuesdays are my leg days, I decided to see what my max deadlift was. I doubt I made any muscular advances, but now it's at 2.5x bodyweight. That means I managed to lift 320 lbs not including myself I felt very monstrous, lol. I got quite a few stares. I was working on just going up on the weight, it took a while, twenty minutes is my guess. By then, I was probably tired (although I don't feel sore or achy after deadlifts) so that might not be my actual max. It's gotten to the point where it's too heavy and my grip lets out a little and I have to readjust a lot. I don't like those wristband things because it takes away from wrist strength, the same way weight belts lessen your lower back, but this is the only exercise I would need them for, so I think I will go buy some... Or make some... I'll have to look that up.

Did three sets of seated leg press. First was 270 lbs 18x, then 305 for 8 and 8. Were not technically allowed to max in my gym (high school, mind you), but I do it occasionally on machines that won't risk my safety. The deadlift machine won't do anything no matter how hard you drop it, so that's cool. However, I like to do one rep and lower it back down instead of throw it, like some people do.

Seiji, you're doing deadlifts on a machine? Good work either way.

320 for someone who weighs 126 sounds pretty good to me. the heaviest bar I've ever lifted was 155 lbs for bench press (pretty sad bench max), my friend and I never tried deadlift or squat max.

How is your technique on the deadlift?

That's the thing. The machine makes it hard to have bad form. Besides, anything less than good form would be harder, wouldn't it?

Here's a picture... it also double as a shrug machine, but deadlifting is enough, I feel it up there anyways the next day. Our's doesn't have a second place to put weight plates though. Same company and basic idea of the machine though.

My fingers were always slipping because it's just too heavy to hold on to for extended periods of time, but when I was looking around for wrist straps, I found out about the hook grip o.O It seems i've been missing out.

I have never even heard of a deadlift machine. . . I say drop kick the machine and do it free standing!

But how does that work, do you just use a neutral grip or do you put a bar across?

I'm unfamiliar with how much more you would be able to lift with the machine. I'd be interested to see how much your barbell deadlift is.

Alright then... on tuesday I'll go for the barbell deadlift. Do you count the bar when calculating numbers for that?

It's a neutral grip on the machine. We also have these square things with neutral handles for deadlifts, but I'll use the bar.

Yes, the bar counts.

Bad technique usually makes beginners able to lift much more weight, thats why I asked. Beginners tend to round their back and not use their legs properly.

Well... I could lift a third of my max from the machine with the barbell. wtf? Maybe I'm just too sore for this right now, but either way, I hate barbells. Not because the lowered weight, but because of how offputting it is balance wise. You have to be in an awkward position to pick up the bar without scraping your shins.

Iunno, but with that weight I could also clean and jerk, and you all have seen my small arms. There must be something wrong here.

I'm going to try when I'm completely fresh on that square thing.

If you could clean the weight then you weren't lifting near your max.

I hope you were doing the lift properly.

Certainly a fan of gymnastics doesn't dislike something because of balance issues. :wink: You're just not used to the difference in body position between the barbell and the machine.

The picture above is trap bar. Trap bars also allow you to do more weight than a olympic (regular) bar.

That's probably why.

My position was definitely compromised when I tried about half of the normal weight. Some people were telling me I was doing it wrong so I had to save face by saying I was doing a modified version of the exercise. :roll: So I lowered the weight and then did good mornings. It wasn't a good day LOL

trianglechoke7 said:

I'm unfamiliar with how much more you would be able to lift with the machine. I'd be interested to see how much your barbell deadlift is.

For a reference point, I can probably do 20 reps with 565. With a straight bar I'm doing sets of 4 reps with 460 or so now. The machines make it stupidly, worthlessly easy. It's not even worth touching. I can't even load enough plates on to challenge myself, and the motion is different so you don't even get much carryover to any kind of "dead" lift with a free object, bar or otherwise. Like I have said, and like people appear to not be understanding, machines are utter trash for any kind of strength training. They would be more useful if you melted them down and strapped the slag to your waist, and that's not saying very much.

You're not going to be anywhere close to what you're doing on the machine, because the machine doesn't challenge your body to the same degree. Sorry to deliver bad news, but that's the way it is. Stop using machines and start using the barbell for deadlifts. The trap bar, which is what that "square thing" is called, is ok, and helps a lot of people. You will still find that it is far more difficult than the machine, though it is significantly easier than a straight bar.

You should ask people what you are doing wrong when they tell you, usually people don't interrupt unless they see something seriously wrong. If you're not sure about what they tell you, search the internet when you get home for answers so you can compare.

slizzardman said:

You should ask people what you are doing wrong when they tell you, usually people don't interrupt unless they see something seriously wrong. If you're not sure about what they tell you, search the internet when you get home for answers so you can compare.

I lift almost 100% of the time alone, so I ask other people in the gym to check my form if I feel something is off. Looking in a mirror is also a great tool . . . unless inconsiderates stand in front of you/all around you :roll:(I have physically nailed people with a bar beccause they were standing to close, I only ask them to move once! :wink: ) If you are having grip problems make a clip on fat bars out of PVC, they are great!

Oh wow. Seriously Seiji, drop the machine or else I will find someone from your gym to drop kick you

Don't let a machine dictate how your body should move. Your body can accomplish it on its on if you let it learn. It's harder because you need that many more stabilizers to accomplish the movement, while the machine helps you balance the bar in the right place.

If you read Starting Strength or the ridiculously in depth thread that introduced me to it from the bodybuilder forum (i think thats what its called), you'll learn the movement properly, but here's a summary:

The bar needs to travel in a straight line. Therefore, your knees will straighten out perfectly just as the bar reaches your patela, afterwards, your hip angle will drastically change as you complete the movement. This is what your doing wrong (since you mentioned the whole hitting your knees thing. Strive to keep the bar as close as possible to your shins as you lift. Keep the bar directly under your scapula (a tad behind your shoulders) and just above mid foot when starting. Also, loo into the Valsalva maneuver when you nail the form so that your breathing will greatly impact your lift.

Keep us posted.

**EDIT: Here's the link: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224

I see.

The thing is, my "gym" is a high school weightlifting class and a lot of those guys are just... v.v

Well, thanks for clearing this up for me. I probably wasn't doing so well on the bar because I didn't know how to use it. Still don't, but I'll ask for help for sure when the time comes to try again. I really appreciate all the help I get here

& wow, that guide is amazing. Thank you.

Believe it or not, it's really the tip of the iceberg compared to mark Rippetoe's actual book Starting Strength. Everything from foot position, to the effects on the central nervous system. I would really love to learn gymnastics from that perspective as well.

Thanks for that trianglechoke7! I didn't know about that resource. Will definitely take the time too look at everything power clean related.

o.o

This is amazing. He goes into so much detail ♥

Maybe I will start using the bar instead. I just need the motion down

I love you.

trianglechoke7 said:

HAHAHAHAHA!!! (changes drawers)